Spring is so close you can almost taste it! In between the bouts of cold weather, the sun peeks through the clouds teasing us that Spring has sprung. Give it a few more weeks and the weather will be warmer, the skies will be blue, and Spring fever will be upon us!! Fingers crossed!

As soon as Winter hibernation is over many of us want to get out of the house and have fun!! But fun isn’t cheap, especially if you have a large family! Here’s a rundown of some activities and events around Vancouver this Spring which you can enjoy for $10 or less per person.

Explore this 55-acre oasis in the heart of Vancouver this Spring and marvel at over 7,500 plant species and varieties from around the world! The annual Great A-Maze-ing Egg Hunt takes place on Friday, March 30, Saturday, March 31 and Sunday, April 1 for kids ages 0-8.

Take a stroll through this domed lush tropical paradise, and if you close your eyes you might believe it’s even Summer with the sounds of 120 free-flying exotic birds above your head and the smell of 500 exotic plants and flowers at your feet.

Price: Between March 1-29 up to two free children can be admitted with the purchase of a regular price adult ($6.50), senior ($4.35), or youth admission ($4.35).

Ice-skating

Where many of us are counting the days until sunny skies and warmer weather, some Winter bunnies still haven’t had enough of the cold weather. If that sounds like you, bundle up and head to Britannia Rink to show off your skills on the ice. Open year round, this rink at 1661 Napier St offers public skating and skate lessons for all ages and abilities, with skate rental and lessons available.

Price: An adult skates costs $6.10 with children $4.36, $3.07 or free, depending on age.

Driving Range

Do you have a budding golfer in your family? Spring is the time to practice on your swing, or just have some fun hitting a few balls around, and there are many driving ranges to choose from in Vancouver.

Price: Approx 60+ balls come in around the $6 mark.

Pitch and Putt

Depending on your preferences, you might find the precision and skill of pitch and putt more fun that the whacking of balls at the driving range. Rupert Park Pitch and Putt comes in at the $10 budget for kids and seniors. Parents, if you want to play too you’ll have to dig a bit deeper into your pockets and fork out $13.75 each. Well worth it to spend some quality time with the kids. And if you win, even better!

Everyone’s favourite choo-choo is back for Easter, running from March 22nd on select days. The train is located on Pipeline Road in Stanley Park, and it is recommended tickets are bought in advance for the limited number of times it is running. There are also lots of egg-citing activities for the kids to take part in after the train ride, including a chance to meet the Easter Bunny!

Price: Tickets are sold in half-hour time slots and cost $6 for everyone over the age of 3.

A Day at the Museum

The days of being dragged around a boring museum with your parents are long gone. Some museums today are pretty exciting with so much to see and do.

Take your kids to Burnaby Village Museum, “ where history comes to life” and they won’t ever think of museums the same way again!. A 1920s village has been recreated for families to explore. Costumed townsfolk welcome visitors and give demonstrations in the homes, shops and businesses.

Price: Between March 19th-29th the museum is open daily from 11am-4:30pm and is FREE to enter. Carousel rides cost $2.65 each

The Museum of Vancouver at Vanier Park in Kitsilano provides a rich history of the city and has exhibitions covering the 1900s to today, including some specialty exhibitions.

Price: The last Thursday evening of every month between 5pm-8pm, admission is by donation.

See where Hudson’s Bay Company fur traders swapped stories with gold prospectors, and listen to an old First Nations tale, pan for gold, or dress up to play a historic character at Fort Langley National Historic Site. There’s easily enough fun here to fill a whole day.

Price: kids are free throughout 2018, while adults are only $7.80.

Vancouver Police Museum is North America’s oldest police museum and houses over 20,000 artifacts, photos and documents showcasing the history of crime and law enforcement in Vancouver. Go behind the scenes and into a history of Vancouver that you’ve never explored before. The museum also has a once a month “Movie in the Morgue” if you’re brave enough to check it out!

Price: A family pass of 2 adults and 2 children is only $30 and detective camps for kids are running over Spring Break.

At Vancouver Maritime Museum adults and children alike can learn about the maritime story of the Pacific Northwest and the Arctic. There’s a wide variety of model ships, a Children’s Maritime Discovery Centre, a collection of maritime art, and so much more!

Price: Family admission of 2 adults and up to 4 children is only $38!

Visit an Art Gallery

Take in some local culture – whether you want to bring the kids with you, or come here to escape them, there’s something of interest to all art-enthusiasts.

Vancouver Art Gallery – One of the current exhibits is called “The Octopus Eats its Own Leg”, running until May 6th, 2018.

Price: Tickets range in price from $6.50 to $24.00 (incl. tax). On Tuesday evenings from 5pm-9om, entrance to the gallery is by donation.

Maplewood Farm is about 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver, and is a fun and educational place for everyone, old and young. It was originally a working dairy farm but has now transformed into a family experience with over 200 animals and birds for visitors to enjoy.

Price: Under $10 for adults and kids.

The Seawall

Be a tourist for the day and do what the visitors do! Every Vancouver-ite has walked, biked or rollerbladed the seawall at some point in their lives, but life can get so busy it’s hard to stop and enjoy doing the things we recommend visitors to this beautiful city do! It’s free to round up the family and stroll the seawall. Bring along your bikes if you prefer a faster pace – or rent bikes for a low cost family day out.

Price: Free without rentals

Bowling

Who doesn’t love bowling, especially if the wet Spring weather decides to show up! Grandview Lanesand Town n Country Bowlare open 7 day a week and have lots of options for kids including lane bumpers and glow-in-the-dark bowling, which is always a hit! Food and drinks are available too, making this a great wet-weather day activity to keep the kids entertained.

Price: Single games start at around $3.50 with shoe rental around $3.

Go Swimming!

Swimming is a low-cost, fun activity for the whole family to get excited about.Check out all the poolsand decide which one you are going to dive into!

Price: Under $10 for adults and kids.

Enjoy Frozen Treats

This is another highly recommended tourist activity that if you haven’t yet experienced, or taken your kids on, you must! There’s just something about being on a boat that is exhilarating for children. The little blue ferries sail every 5 minutes from the West End of downtown Vancouver to Granville Island.

Price: $5.50 and under for a return ticket.

There’s certainly no shortage of things to do in Vancouver at under $10 a person, you just have to know where to look to find them!

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